News
The world’s top service oriented Spa’s revealed: Maldives wins again
Maldives Promotion House – The annual announcement of the World Luxury Spa Awards winners marks the highlight of a year-long search for the very best spas on the global front. Maldives offers number of world class spas and spas from Maldives were among the winners at this year’s awards.
- One&Only Spa by ESPA Reethi Rah Best Luxury Wellness Spa – World
- Talise Spa at Jumeirah Dhevanafushi Best Luxury Emerging Spa – Indian Ocean
- Coco Spa Maldives Best Luxury Fitness Spa – Indian Ocean
- Araamu Spa Maldives Best Luxury Wellness Spa – Indian Ocean
- One&Only Spa by ESPA Reethi Rah Best Luxury Beauty Spa – Indian Ocean
- Six Senses Spa Laamu, Maldives Best Luxury Emerging Spa – Maldives
- Six Senses Spa Laamu, Maldives Best Luxury Destination Spa – Maldives
- Six Senses Spa Laamu, Maldives Best Luxury Resort Spa – Maldives
- Angsana Spa Velavaru Maldives Best Luxury Beauty Spa – Maldives
The World Luxury Spa Awards commends and recognise outstanding achievements in service excellence, giving thanks to spas that have excelled. The World Luxury Spa Awards programme reward those spas that have raised the bar of service excellence within a highly competitive industry over the past year. The World Luxury Spa Awards congratulate unsurpassed service excellence and put the spotlight on those spas representing only the finest standards.
The categories awarded in the 2013 World Luxury Spa Awards included Best Luxury Hotel Spa, Best Luxury Mineral Spring Spa, Best Luxury Safari Spa, Best Luxury Emerging Spa, Best Luxury Fitness Spa, Best Luxury Destination Spa, Best Luxury Wellness Spa, Best Luxury Resort Spa, Best Luxury Spa Group, Best Luxury Day Spa, Best Luxury Beauty Spa, Best Luxury Boutique Spa and Best Luxury Medical Spa.
“2012 has been a very interesting year for the spa industry, with many new spa additions and the level of competition where exceptional evident from the calibre of spas being nominated,” says Marinique de Wet, Executive Manager of the World Luxury Spa Awards. “We’ve never received so many nomination entries like we did this year, and it has been a truly thrilling experience to see who eventually came out on top!”
Open to luxury spas in the respective categories, the World Luxury Spa Awards™ are recognized and respected on the global front by the public and media at large and are universally acknowledged as the world’s leading awards initiative for luxury spas. France24 is the proud media partner to the World Luxury Spa Awards.
The winners and finalists were selected by means of an annual voting process where thousands of spa guests worldwide have been given the opportunity to vote online in order to have the fairest judging process possible. Competing spas in 2013 included small sized privately owned spas to globally renowned spa groups.
Official voting closed on the 18th of March and the response and comments from voters were phenomenal. Thousands of votes & feedback came in from across the globe and as a result key brands and independent spas were rewarded for their extraordinary efforts. Award winning spas are announced on a country, continent and global basis.They stood up to the highest expectations and where tested by discerning spa-goers looking for the ultimate experience where only the absolute best is acceptable.
Marinique de Wet, Executive Manager, World Luxury Spa Awards™ said: “The World Luxury Spa Awards™ is the highest accolade a spa can ever hope to receive. For participants the World Luxury Spa Awards™ challenge service excellence and highlight the importance of constant improvement. The Award truly puts the Award winning spas ahead of their peers from a marketing perspective. In addition to the honour, prestige and global exposure of winning a World Luxury Spa Award, winners share in fantastic marketing benefits including online profiles and marketing guides that further build staff moral and maintain credibility.
“Consumers are increasingly using the list of winners and finalists as a reliable guide and means of reassurance when choosing their next spa destination evident from increasing visits to the Awards website”, says de Wet.
“In these tough economic times our spas and wellness retreats have shown their anticipation to succeed and have come out even stronger than before. The World Luxury Spa Awards are there to recognise the very best of the best and raise the bar of service excellence even higher than before”, says Mrs Marinique de Wet. “We are delighted that the Spa Awards has become such an important highlight on the spa industry calendar and we are looking forward to an exciting 2014 registration year ahead”.
Recipients of this prestigious accolade see challenges as opportunities and stay ahead with strategic changes allowing facilities and service to stay on par with global trends. We congratulate all our winners further to this outstanding achievement.”
Culture
Maagiri Hotel celebrates Independence Day with special dining offers
Maagiri Hotel is set to celebrate the Independence Day of the Maldives with a series of special dining experiences, inviting guests, families, and the local community to come together and commemorate this significant national occasion.
To mark the celebrations, the hotel will host an Independence Day Special Breakfast Buffet from 24 to 26 July 2026. Guests can enjoy a generous selection of local and international breakfast favourites in a warm and welcoming setting, making it the perfect way to begin the holiday celebrations with family and friends.
The festivities will continue on 26 July 2026 with a Special Maldivian Dinner Buffet at Faru Restaurant. The dinner will feature a variety of authentic Maldivian dishes, carefully prepared by the hotel’s culinary team to showcase the rich flavours and traditions of the Maldives. From local delicacies to beloved national favourites, the buffet offers a memorable dining experience that celebrates the country’s culinary heritage.
Adding a sweet touch to the celebrations, Maagiri Hotel also features a selection of locally crafted artisan ice cream flavours with the support of Iceto, highlighting the creativity of local artisans and celebrating Maldivian craftsmanship through unique, handcrafted treats at the Rooftop Restaurant.
As part of the hotel’s commitment to celebrating national occasions, the Independence Day promotions are designed to bring people together through exceptional food, warm hospitality, and a shared appreciation for Maldivian culture and traditions.
Maagiri Hotel warmly welcomes guests to join the Independence Day celebrations and enjoy a memorable dining experience while honouring the spirit of the nation’s independence.
For reservations and bookings, please call 3318484 / 7228484 or text (Viber) 7228484.
News
DJ Liliana Reagan returns to headline Niva Dhigali’s New Year’s Eve celebration
As the year draws to a close, there’s nowhere quite like a private island in the Maldives to leave the old one behind. Niva Dhigali has unveiled its 2026 festive season programme, and the countdown to midnight comes with a familiar, electrifying face; Hungarian DJ Liliana Reagan is returning to headline the resort’s New Year’s Eve party.

A Festive Escape, Niva Dhigali Style
The season begins December 21 with a beachfront Tree Lighting Ceremony – barefoot, sun-warmed sand standing in for snow – followed by a Starlight Beach Dinner where the only ceiling is the night sky. Christmas brings its own island magic, with Santa making his arrival amid palm trees and turquoise water.

Where Freedom Celebrates
The season’s grand finale is New Year’s Eve itself, an event billed as “Where Freedom Celebrates.” The night unfolds slowly: a lavish gala dinner gives way to a beach party in full swing, fire dancers weaving through the crowd as the countdown builds. At the centre of it all is DJ Lili, spinning her soundtracks into the starlit night sky
It’s a homecoming of sorts for DJ Lili as she previously electrified the resort’s East Beach for its “Elemental” New Year celebration in 2025, wrapping her illusory, house-inflected sets around fire rituals and pyrotechnics for a night guests are still talking about.

Who Is Liliana Reagan?
Blue hair, boundless energy, and a sound that moves effortlessly between dreamy and galvanic. Known professionally as Regán Lili, she has been one of Hungary’s most in-demand DJs since 2016. From Sziget Festival to Balaton Sound, and a standing radio residency on Rádió 1 where listeners have crowned her DJ of the Year multiple times over. She has built a career on turning a night out into an unforgettable occasion.
For the full festive lineup and more on Niva Dhigali’s signature experiences, visit the resort’s website.
News
ELE|NA, Mandara Spa and RIU RENOVA SPA join World Wellness Weekend activities in Maldives
Forty-seven venues across the Maldives will take part in World Wellness Weekend from 18 to 20 September 2026, offering complimentary wellness activities for resort guests and local communities.
The three-day programme forms part of the 10th edition of World Wellness Weekend, a global initiative bringing together hotels, resorts, spas, fitness centres, municipalities and wellness professionals. The 2026 edition is expected to involve venues across 187 countries, with organisers targeting 15,000 participating venues and more than 20,000 free wellness experiences worldwide.
In the Maldives, all ELE|NA properties have confirmed their participation in the event. ELE|NA operates wellness facilities at several resorts in the country and will organise activities across its participating properties during the weekend.
Mandara Spa at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives, recognised as a Wellness Champion by World Wellness Weekend, will conduct a programme combining physical activity, wellness education and environmental action.
Its scheduled activities include an Island Rhythm Zumba session and an Art of Touch session focused on relieving tension, improving circulation and supporting general wellbeing.
The spa will also organise a herbal oil blending workshop, introducing participants to essential oils used for relaxation and rejuvenation. A beach clean-up challenge will connect the resort’s wellness programme with environmental responsibility and community participation.
RIU RENOVA SPA will also participate through Hotel Riu Atoll. The programme will include aquagym, aqua relaxation, aquafit, aqua boxing and sun salutation sessions.
Family-oriented activities, including yoga for children and dance classes, will also be offered. Hotel Riu Atoll is among more than 35 RIU properties expected to participate in World Wellness Weekend internationally.
The 2026 campaign is being held under the message, “Connect. Recharge. Wellness is Energy: Turn your Wellness ON.” Its programmes are structured around five areas: vitality and movement, serenity and mindfulness, nutrition and immunity, sleep and creativity, and purpose and solidarity.
World Wellness Weekend said the initiative seeks to make wellness activities accessible beyond spa and fitness services by encouraging participation in movement, mindfulness, education, nature experiences and community gatherings.
The event has also partnered with World Cleanup Day, linking personal wellbeing with environmental action. Participating venues around the world are expected to organise clean-ups in beaches, parks, neighbourhoods and other public areas alongside relaxation or meditation sessions.
Founder Jean-Guy de Gabriac said the initiative viewed wellness as a shared responsibility rather than an exclusive service.
“Wellness is not a luxury, but a collective responsibility. We need to think Global, act Local and make wellness Social,” he said.
The participation of resorts and spa operators across the Maldives reflects the hospitality sector’s increasing integration of wellness into guest experiences, employee programmes and community initiatives. The country’s natural environment also allows participating properties to combine fitness, mindfulness and wellness education with outdoor and marine-based activities.
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